Photographer Stacey Tyrell Tackles Racial Identity Through Pictures

Photographer Stacey Tyrell wanted to compose a series of pictures that demonstrates both her ancestry, as well as confront racial identity issues.

Tyrell is African-Canadian, but has Caucasian ancestors on both sides of her family. However, she isn't usually considered to have Caucasian ancestry. This series of photographs is called Backra Bluid, which is a term that means a white master combined with blood. Tyrell plays with the concept of race, by adding makeup to her face, posing in traditional positions and dressing in clothing that would have been worn back in Colonial times. These pictures are not only stunning, but they are also a stark reminder of times that have passed, and in some cases, continue on today. Stacey Tyrell has done an incredible job of evoking emotion out of her work.